Releasing The Glory In You

As the waters cover the sea, so was God's glory intended to cover our world through His creation and the Church. God's glory is manifested as we learn to release it through our talents and hard work.


Mark 9:2-4 gives us the famous account of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Six days after the Confession at Caesarea Philippi and the first revelation to the disciples of the impending Passion, Jesus took Peter, James and John to the top of a mountain. No one else was there. Suddenly His face began to shine with glory and His clothing became dazzling white—far more glorious than any earthly process could ever make it. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and talked with Jesus. The three disciples saw something of Jesus Christ they had never seen before. They saw the glory of the Son of God!

According to Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary, the word "glory" has three aspects of meaning:

1) Brightness and splendor. First of all, "glory" or doxa in Greek, means light, brightness or splendor. Up on Mount Tabor, the three disciples saw Jesus transformed before their very eyes. His face and His body shone with a blinding light. This is consistent with the Scripture passage that records that the Son of God is the "brightness of God's glory" (Heb. 1:3). In fact, on the night that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, shepherds saw the glory of the Lord shining so brightly that the entire sky was lit up by glory (Luke 2:9).

2) "Glory" means honor or a good reputation. Jesus teaches that when you get invited to a banquet, do not presumptuously go straight to the VIP seats. Instead "go and sit down in the lowest place" (Luke 14:7-11). Then when the host beckons you to sit closer to the front, "you will have glory in the presence of all at the feast. That means you will be greatly honored—you will have glory.

3) Finally, "glory" in Hebrew is kabod which means "something of a full weight or value." We say that the crown of a royalty is glorious. By that we mean that it is highly valuable, practically priceless! The gold and jewelry are heavy!

When you understand the threefold meaning of "glory," you will understand why the Bible says that God has great glory. Glory is the full expression of God's nature. He is light and He shines brighter than the sun. God is worthy to receive all honor because His reputation is impeccable. Most of all, He is priceless. God is the most precious and highly valued entity in the universe!

To say that God has glory is a given. After all, the Bible is peppered with statements like "the glory of God appeared in the cloud," "the glory of God filled the temple," and "the glory of God appeared to all the people." That fact that He has glory is intrinsic to the very nature of the Living God!

GOD CREATED EVERYTHING WITH GLORY

What is amazing is this: God has given glory to His creation! For example, we know that the heavens above contain the glory of the Lord (Ps. 8:1). All the earth is filled with the glory of the Lord (Num. 14:21). Even kingdoms shine with glory (Matt. 4:8). Nations contain glory (Rev. 21:26). But that glory can depart, as was the case of Israel in the days when Samuel was just a boy (1 Sam. 4:21-22). The purpose of all of God's creation is to show forth the glory of the Lord. That is why we have the famous refrain in many gospel choruses: "The whole earth is full of His glory" (Is. 6:3).

Not only is nature full of glory; God has given His glory to the Church. The house of the Lord is to contain great glory (1 Chr. 22:5). The Scripture says that the glory of God's house in the latter days will be greater than in the former days (Hag. 2:9).

But ultimately, God has given man glory!

Psalm 8:3-5 is an amazing passage. Talking of the relationship between God and man, Psalm 8 declares: "You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty" (NASB). As the image of God, you too are crowned with glory and majesty.

YOUR GLORY IS THE VALUE OF WHO YOU ARE

Your glory is the value of who you are. Upon graduation from the university in the 1980s, I took on a computer job that paid me S$6 per hour. However, a few years ago, I began receiving invitations to travel overseas to conduct leadership training for corporate businesses. In some of those sessions, I would get paid as much as US$5,000 per hour of lecture! What has changed?

The person in the natural (namely me!) has not changed. They are still getting the same person in the flesh. The timing has not changed. I am still required to put in one hour of hard work. But what has changed is the value I am worth to the people paying me. In a span of almost 20 years, my value to my listeners has appreciated more than 1,000 times! Not only am I paid better, but I have increased in both prominence and reputation. And as I increase my personal value to those whom I serve, I increase correspondingly in my personal glory.

That is why we need the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says that as we study the Holy Scripture and behold God's glory in it, the Holy Spirit comes along and transforms us "into the same image from glory to glory!" Make no mistake about it: God's will for us is that we grow from glory to glory, or from value to value.

The Bible word for that process is "glorification." To "glorify" really means to get all hindrances such as fear, doubt, low self-esteem out of the way, so that the full revelation of your true intrinsic value will come forth. Again, this is just like Jesus Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration. Momentarily, when His natural flesh was stripped away, the disciples could see the true glory—the true value—of who Jesus really is.

DISPLAYING GOD'S GLORY

Why then did God create us? The standard religious reply would be: "Oh, to worship Him." Wrong answer. The correct answer is this: To display God's glory. And just like God's glory is to fill the whole earth, man's glory must also fill the earth. Psalm 8:6 continues to say, "You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet."

We are to rule, dominate, take leadership, and exert influence in all the world. By wanting the whole earth to be filled with His glory, God expects maximum fruitfulness and productivity in everything that we do. He desires us to exercise maximum influence in society, touching as many lives and helping as many people as we possibly can. That is the purpose why God created man. From the beginning, God has made it clear to man: "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth" (Gen. 1:28). Our glory must cover "our world" as the waters cover the sea.

THE GOAL OF LIFE

When you understand that, the purpose of your life becomes clear. Glory must be the goal of your life. But how do you manifest the glory of God that's intrinsically deposited inside you? When you use all your talents, gifts and abilities, and fulfill the God-given visions and dreams of your life, you manifest your glory. You manifest your true value and worth to the world and you bring great glory to God.

But the process of glorification must first take place. Your mind must be renewed by the Word of God. Your faith has to be strengthened. You need to yield yourself to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis. Then the fear and doubt that besets you will be removed, and the talents and abilities which God has deposited in your life will be revealed. If you do not peel away the flesh and carnality that stands in the way, your potential is not fully released and your purpose will not be fulfilled. Consequently, God's glory will not be released in your life.

GLORY IS RELEASED BY WORK

There are four principles we have covered thus far:

(1) God created everything with glory—the sun, moon, stars, universe, the whole earth, all creation.
(2) All creation manifests the glory it contains.
(3) Man is the ultimate display of God's glory.
(4) We display God's glory when we use the talents, gifts and abilities God has deposited inside us.

There is a fifth principle which is vital for your potential to be released: Glory is released by work! While we are not saved by works, we are saved for good works!

Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. (Gen. 2:15)

God put Adam in Paradise to work. Where you can find work, you have found Paradise! People would uproot entire families and emigrate en masse to find employment in another country. Third World countries remain impoverished because of a lack of jobs for their population. First World nations advance their quality of life by providing work for its people. Where you can find work, you find innovation. Potential is released. Visions and dreams come to pass. The nation gets globally admired. Its citizenship is greatly honored. Its currency is strong and highly valued. In short, it becomes glorious!

But what about Adam's spiritual relationship with God? Wouldn't work take that away? Not at all! As long as Adam applied his God-given talents and fulfilled His God-given assignment, he enjoyed unbroken worship and fellowship with God.

Don't be lazy. The Bible talks more against laziness than vices such as drunkenness. Laziness will keep your glory locked up inside you. People who do not do much never show their glory. If you want to maximize your potential and manifest your glory, you must be prepared to work hard (John 9:4). You must be prepared to toil, labor and get tired (2 Cor. 6:4-10).

I read a book recently by Dr. Myles Munroe. He says that people who maximize their glory are always "tired" because they are constantly pouring out their lives to fulfill their God-given life assignment. And only tired, "poured-out" people are the ones who really change the world!

One of the greatest inventors of all time is Thomas Edison. Edison had more than 1,000 inventions to his credit. But as a child, his teacher told him he was stupid. By the time he was eight, he had to leave school. Edison's most famous invention was the electric light bulb. He tried over 6,000 times to perfect the filament of the bulb. Imagine what would have happened if he had given up after 5,999 times? The world as we know it today would not have existed. There would be no electric light, television, computers, space travel, etc.

Edison later founded General Electric and more than 130 years later, Forbes ranks GE as the second largest company in the world. It has assets of well over US$750 billion dollars and hires 300,000 employees in the world.

For all his achievements, what maxim would Edison leave for all posterity? Edison says, "Genius is one percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration!" In other words, hard work brings results.

How often when we fail at doing something, do we immediately conclude that it isn't the will of God for us? Just because we failed? Just because something is difficult, and takes a lot of time and effort, it doesn't mean that it isn't the right thing to do. If something is right, it is always possible. No matter how difficult it may seem, if something is God's will for you, it is possible! And if something is right—and it is in the will of God—it is worth every minute, every dollar und every ounce of energy that you invest into it!

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matt. 5:14-16)

Glory is released by work—by really hard work! That means you have to actively apply the talents, gifts and abilities that God has deposited inside you. If you don't use your talent to play the keyboard, you can't make beautiful music. If you don't use your talent to paint on a canvas, you can't create beautiful paintings. If you don't use your talent to draw up that blueprint, you can't build beautiful architecture. If you don't actively apply yourself by hard work, you can never release the glory of God deposited inside you.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. (Eccl. 9:10)

God did not create us to do nothing. Only the dead do nothing. Only the dead have no initiatives or ideas.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. (Eph. 3:20)

The more you apply that power to work, the more ideas come into your mind and the greater the visions and dreams you will have. And the vision will generate even greater power, which in turn will generate even greater dreams. It keeps going on and on and on. Until God's glory is revealed by the Church (vv. 21).

God did not create us just to survive and "make a living." God has created us to show the world what He is like. When we become everything God has created us to be, and do everything that God has created us to do, our glory is released. Then we will show the world what God is like!

GLORY IS RESERVED FOR THE PROBLEM SOLVER

John 2:1-3 is the remarkable story of Jesus turning water into wine. There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee and the wine had run out. Sometimes, God allows things to "run out" in order to reveal His glory. But when Jesus solved that problem with tremendous excellence, giving them the best wine, the Scripture says that He "manifested His glory and His disciples believed in Him" (vv. 10-11).

In life, glory is seldom revealed without first overcoming a problem or an obstacle. So what happens what things run out? What happens when you run out of money, ideas, energy, people to help you, and you just don't know what to do?

How did God reveal His glory in the beginning? How did God reveal His light? There was darkness on the face of the deep (Gen. 1:2). God had a serious problem! But in the midst of the problem, the Holy Spirit was there, the Word of God was there. Then God confessed the Word. He said, "Let there be light," and glory broke forth!

Glory is reserved for the problem solvers. When you solve a difficulty at your workplace or in your family, your prominence, reputation and value increase exponentially. For example, the death of Lazarus was a chance for Jesus to be glorified. He said of Lazarus' situation, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it" (John 11:4). Therefore, principle number six: Glory is reserved for the problem solver!

THE MOMENT OF GLORY

In John 12, Jesus talks repeatedly about His "hour of glory" (vv. 23, 27-28). God has a "moment of glory" for all of us. The final principle here is this: Our whole goal in life is to pursue our "moment of glory." Our whole goal in life is to pursue that moment until He brings us into it. When we have become everything we were born to be. When we have shown the world our full weight or the full value of who we are in Christ. That is when we have glorified God.

There is no such thing as "secret" glory! The glory God has placed in us may be hidden, but it is never invisible. It may not be clear to all now but when our glory comes out, everyone will see it.

David declared, "You have crowned man with glory and honor" (Ps. 8:5). There is no such thing as a secret crown. Crowns are meant to be displayed publicly for all to see. God gives us talents, gifts and abilities to display them openly. Jesus says, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Let your light or glory so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:14-16p).

God doesn't want any secret successes. He wants a public display of what He has put inside us. He wants the whole world to see what you are made up of! If you really want to bring out your glory, then you can't hide it or suppress it.

But when you want to obey God and expose the glory of the Lord, you have to get prepared. Prepared for what? People will talk about you. They will criticize you, slander you, and gossip about you. Why? Because the brilliance of your creativity, innovation and beauty will expose their darkness, fear, self-doubt and failures.

We can never criticize what we cannot see. We can only talk bad about something that is visible to us. So if no one is talking about you, then maybe it is only because you are not doing anything great! Some people say, "Don't rock the boat!" Perhaps that is why their boat is not going anywhere! And these "nowhere" people don't want you to succeed. They want you to be a failure just like they are.

If you want to do something great with your life, break out of the norm. Stop listening to the pessimists and losers. Rise above the spirit of mediocrity!

As you read this, don't sit back and hide your glory anymore. Lay hold of your Spirit-inspired visions and dreams. Set your goals high. Determine that you will move forward into everything God wants you to be.

Do not let anyone or anything hold you back. Study hard and get the qualification you need. Enroll into a night school and get your accredited diploma or degree. Work hard and get that promotion in your job. Open that café, hair salon, electronic store, flower shop, or employment agency you have always dreamed of. Compose those songs and write those novels that are burning inside you.

Pour out those abilities until there is nothing left inside. Release your potential to the fullest. Do not let anyone tell you that you cannot do it. Do not deprive the world of your glory. Let the glory God has placed in you come out so that His glory can then fill the whole earth. And when you and I are faithful to do this, God's promise will come to pass:

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (Hab. 2:14)

-
Kong Hee